Icon progression post: 2008-2011
I've been wanting to create a icon progression post for a while as a way to better understand why I like to do certain things and what elements suit me best. We discussed icon progression posts at icon_talk a while back and several people said they always like to see these posts when makers do them, so here's mine, spanning 2008-2011. :)
First half of 2008
In the summer of 2008, I got tired of posting my icons to my journal and created illusoir_icons. Back then, Gossip Girl was clearly my favourite thing. Looking back, I'm not exactly ashamed of my icons, but it's more "aw, look how cute you were with your lighting textures." At the same time, there are a few icons I could've made recently, the cleaner icons of Blair in particular.
Second half of 2008
I was fascinated by textures, but wasn't always successful in using them. The examples here are some of the more successful attempts and I love that the icons I like from this period are already showing a move towards my one true love: negative space. Particularly the Blair icons and the last Chuck icon (with the pink text) are special to me.
2009
At the end of 2008 my little community reached 100 members. It was a big deal to me, but 2009 didn't start off well. I switched to a MacBook and was confronted with the problem that plagues most graphics makers who switch to Mac: screen calibration. Basically, the colours looked differently on my screen than they did on the screens of non-Mac users. It took quite some time to get used to that.
2009 was a year in which I tried everything and as a result, my icons are all over the place.
All the icon challenges seemed to have these soft pink colours winning every week and I just couldn't do them. Every time I tried, my 'aesthetic' immediately went about upping the reds and yellows to make it look more vibrant. FAIL! I felt caught between what I did before (which wasn't 'good enough' for me any more) and wanting to do new things but a) not being certain what and b) my experiments not looking good enough to get me any wins in challenges or encouraging comments.
I stopped iconing entirely after September 2009. I went abroad for Fall semester 2009 and can't remember not iconing while I was staying abroad, but it must have happened, because there are no icon posts.
First half of 2010
When I got back home, my boyfriend hooked me up with an extra screen to plug into my Macbook, so I could make icons on a 'normal' screen. That was the best thing that happened to me and I slowly began to enjoy Photoshopping again.
It showed in my icons and I was suddenly invited to a few elite communities although I was clearly not up to the level of most of the members yet. But still, I think elite_movies in particular was a community that made me try new things that worked. I was inspired by the people there and slowly got more control over textures. I also learned the invaluable 'trick' of lighting up subjects by putting subtle lightblobs around them. Standard brushwork I still add to nearly every icon I make.
hpotter_stills got me into making Harry Potter icons and I started placing in challenges again. I know people always say icon making should be about the fun and that winning in challenges isn't important, but it's always nice to get recognition. And after the way I had been feeling about Photoshop and my own graphics, it was really encouraging to place in challenges now and then. Judge me all you want.
Summer 2010 found me falling head over heels for Nate Fick Generation Kill. I wanted nothing more than icon this show, but it turned out to be incredibly difficult. Everything on the show is the colour of desert sand (obviously) and I turned to textures, textures and more textures to bring them to life. I feel like the GK icons are very different from most of my other icons, because the screencaps restricted what I could do with them. I was busy trying new things in all my other icons, but still, Nate Fick's pretty face called to me.
Second half of 2010
Close crops became all the rage, but I wasn't very good at them. I'd need far more practice. I started iconing Doctor Who in earnest now, thanks to Amy Pond and her glorious hair. Because I was dead-busy with my thesis, icon making took a back seat. To keep doing something icon-wise, I signed up for knightley20in20, which was good. I felt more comfortable with my 'style': vibrant colours were my thing, particularly yellow and blue. It was elite-movies again where I tried most of my new things and I felt like I was getting better at the technical side of iconing. I felt more... 'free', I guess, as well.
First half of 2011
I decided to apply to a few elite challenge communities. Many people dislike elite communities on purpose, but I love them, since they've inspired me to try so many new things and push myself. I honestly feel like I've learned a lot more than I possibly could have in 'regular' challenge communities.
Second half of 2011
I saw other people experimenting with new kinds of colourings and crops and compositions, but this could also be because I started being more active in the icon community. I made myself some icon making friends and liked talking over at icon_talk. One thing led to another and it was just a more creative environment to be in.
Then iconsecrets hosted the Secret Icon Battle and it was the Best. Thing. Ever. Because I didn't know who I was paired up with, I tried to make the best icons I possibly could or rather do things people may not have seen me do before.
Looking at this progression post, it is quite obvious (to me at least) that I don't have a very clear style and that my icons are still all over the place, although I have a preference for bright colours and negative, particularly with centre crops. Oh well, at least I like what I'm doing most of the time.
I'm now so back with my vibrant colours and I'm feeling my way around closer crops and gradients, which you will see in my next post. wonderous-stuff, at which I am now a maker, is challenging me every month and I love it!
This is first and foremost a post for me, but if you have a comment, please leave it - I love talking icons with you. :)